


Silence

by Lanerose



Series: IJ Ironman Ficathon [4]
Category: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-25
Updated: 2007-08-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 09:48:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7310068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lanerose/pseuds/Lanerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Reishin finally spoke to Shuurei, the words came out quickly, almost slurred together in his haste to say them and be done with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silence

**"Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give you the answer that you want me to."**  
  
"I'm your uncle."  
  
The words came out quickly, almost slurred together in his haste to say them and be done with it. Shuurei waited silently before him. Reishin took a deep breath, and began again.  
  
"I know, I know, I should have told you sooner." He laughed humourlessly. "Maybe when you entered the Royal Harem, so that you would know there was someone from the family on the palace grounds who you could go to if your father was unavailable. Or when you started working in Finance, disguised as a boy. But I couldn't do it then…"  
  
He reached out and rested his hand along the side of her face. "And then you were an official. And a governor. And suddenly you had been around the palace for so long that I would have had to explain why it took me so long to say something, and all I could think about was how pathetic it would make me look, to say that I had been afraid to tell you. Afraid of you, my gentle, wonderful, kind niece."  
  
He shook his head and patted the side of her cheek gently. "I'm sorry. I love you."  
  
"Reishin-sama." The head of the Kou clan turned his head to see Kouyuu staring at him from just off the dais.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm coming," Reishin said. He got slowly to his feet, and turned to walk away.  
  
Behind him, Shuurei's corpse continued to say nothing.


End file.
